No pain, no gain for Ben Brust

Madison – Ben Brust, who was given two days off to rest his sore left knee before Wisconsin played at Northwestern and then wore a protective sleeve during the game on Wednesday, isn’t worried knee will be a problem for the remainder of the season.

“I’m just wearing it because it helps in general,” Brust, who had 12 points, eight rebounds and two assists in the victory over Northwestern, said after practice Sunday. “No problems since so I’m just sticking to it.”

Brust is second on the team in scoring (11.3 ppg) and third in rebounds (5.6 per game) and has a team-best five double-doubles. He leads the team in minutes played at 33.9 per game.

“I think it just comes with the territory,” he said of the discomfort in the knee. “Playing really good teams every night. You’re forced to play hard and I don’t mind that.

“There’s going to be some bumps and bruises along the way.

“You learn as you get older just to accept it and rehab it and when it’s time to go play, you go play.”